Chamber with individually controllable plasma generation regions for a reactor for processing a workpiece

Abstract

A plasma reactor includes a processing chamber having a lower processing portion having an axis of symmetry and an array of cavities extending upwardly from the lower processing portion. A gas distributor couples plural gas sources to a plurality of gas inlets of the cavities, and the gas distributor includes a plurality of valves with each valve selectively connecting a respective gas inlet to one of the plural gas sources. Power is applied by an array of conductors that includes a respective conductor for each respective cavity with each conductor adjacent and surrounding a cavity. A power distributor couples a power source and the array of conductors, and the power distributor includes a plurality of switches with a switch for each respective conductor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A plasma reactor comprising:
 a processing chamber having a lower processing portion having an axis of symmetry and an array of cavities extending upwardly from the lower processing portion, each cavity being elongated and extending parallel to the axis of symmetry of the lower processing portion, each cavity positioned exterior to each other cavity; 
 a workpiece support in the lower processing portion of the processing chamber, 
 plural gas sources of different gas species; 
 a plurality of gas inlets with each gas inlet opening into a respective cavity; 
 a gas distributor coupling the plural gas sources to the plurality of gas inlets, wherein the gas distributor includes a plurality of valves with a respective valve for each respective gas inlet, and wherein each respective valve selectively connects the respective gas inlet to one of the plural gas sources; 
 a power source; 
 an array of conductors that includes a respective conductor for each respective cavity, wherein each respective conductor is adjacent and surrounds a respective single cavity of the array of cavities; 
 a power distributor coupled between the power source and the array of conductors, wherein the power distributor includes a plurality of switches coupled between an output of the power source and the array of conductors, the plurality of switches including a switch for each respective conductor; and 
 a processor controlling the plurality of valves individually and controlling the plurality of switches individually in accordance with user-defined instructions so as to provide independent control of gas species and plasma generation in each cavity of the array of cavities extending upwardly from the lower processing portion of the processing chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The plasma reactor of  claim 1  wherein the processing chamber comprises a plurality of dielectric cavity walls that define the array of cavities that extend upwardly from the lower processing portion. 
     
     
       3. The plasma reactor of  claim 2 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a conductive lower plate secured to lower edges of the plurality of dielectric cavity walls and that provides a ceiling for the lower processing portion. 
     
     
       4. The plasma reactor of  claim 3 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a conductive upper plate secured to upper edges of the plurality of dielectric cavity walls and that provides a ceiling for the array of cavities. 
     
     
       5. The plasma reactor of  claim 2 , wherein the power source comprises an RF power generator and each respective conductor is separated from an interior of a corresponding respective cavity by a corresponding respective one of the dielectric cavity walls. 
     
     
       6. The plasma reactor of  claim 5 , wherein the array of conductors is an array of electrodes to capacitively couple RF power into the array of cavities. 
     
     
       7. The plasma reactor of  claim 6 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes forms a cylinder having an axis parallel to the axis of symmetry and surrounding the respective cavity. 
     
     
       8. The plasma reactor of  claim 5 , wherein the array of conductors is an array of coil antennas to inductively couple RF power into the array of cavities. 
     
     
       9. The plasma reactor of  claim 8 , wherein each coil antenna of the array of coil antennas forms a coil wound in a cylinder having an axis parallel to the axis of symmetry. 
     
     
       10. The plasma reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a plurality of conductive cavity walls that define portions of the array of cavities that extend upwardly from the lower processing portion, the conductive cavity walls providing the array of conductors. 
     
     
       11. The plasma reactor of  claim 10 , wherein the power source is a D.C. power generator and each conductor of the array of conductors is an electrode for D.C. discharge. 
     
     
       12. The plasma reactor of  claim 10 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a plurality of dielectric cavity walls with dielectric cavity walls positioned above and below the conductive cavity walls. 
     
     
       13. The plasma reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber includes a cylindrical side wall, and the plasma reactor further comprises an inductively coupled plasma source including a coil antenna wound around the cylindrical side wall and an RF power generator coupled to the coil antenna through an impedance match.